The challenge of conquering the most punishing video game bosses continues to grip gamers worldwide, with a recent study revealing that Malenia, Blade of Miquella from Elden Ring, takes the top spot as the hardest boss in video game history.
A survey conducted by gaming and tech retailer Currys among 1,000 UK gamers found that nearly one-third (30%) of players believe difficult bosses and enemies are a key factor in determining whether a game is challenging. A staggering 18% of gamers admitted they’ve spent more than 10 hours battling a particularly tough boss. The Elden Ring boss, Malenia, led the pack with 30,660 annual searches for “how to beat Malenia,” with the most popular YouTube walkthrough video for her fight amassing over 6.26 million views since 2022.
The Elden Ring boss, Malenia, came out on top due to her infamous difficulty and stamina-sapping attacks, but she wasn’t alone in making the list. Another Elden Ring adversary, Margit, the Fell Omen, followed closely behind in third place with 17,540 annual searches.
Rounding out the top spots was Psycho Mantis from Metal Gear Solid, with 23,700 searches. This particular boss fight remains memorable for requiring players to switch their controller ports mid-game to defeat him—an iconic mechanic in the original PlayStation 1 version.
Other difficult bosses named in the top 15 include Sans from Undertale, Dark Link from The Legend of Zelda: Ocarina of Time, and King Dice from Cuphead.
Top 15 Hardest Video Game Bosses:
Malenia, Elden Ring
Psycho Mantis, Metal Gear Solid
Margit, Elden Ring
Sans, Undertale
Bed of Chaos, Dark Souls
Genichiro Ashina, Sekiro: Shadows Die Twice
Dark Link, The Legend of Zelda: Ocarina of Time
Blood Starved Beast, Bloodborne
Ornstein and Smough, Dark Souls
Balteus, Armored Core 6
Vicar Amelia, Bloodborne
Mike Tyson, Mike Tyson’s Punch-Out!!
King Dice, Cuphead
Flamelurker, Demon Souls
Hydra, God of War
The survey also examined gamers’ behaviours when faced with particularly difficult levels or bosses. While 21% of players say they are determined to complete the challenge no matter how long it takes, many will walk away after spending only a few hours on a difficult part. Shockingly, 70% of gamers revealed they had abandoned a game for being too difficult.
The study also highlighted regional differences, with PS5 gamers emerging as the most likely to “rage quit,” with 68% admitting to abandoning a game due to frustration. Nintendo Switch gamers, on the other hand, were found to be the most likely to resort to cheating to get through tough challenges, with 56% admitting to using cheats.
Rage Quit Statistics by Console:
PlayStation 5: 68%
PlayStation 4: 64%
Xbox One: 64%
Nintendo Switch (all models): 63%
Xbox Series X/S: 59%
PC (Windows, Mac, Linux): 58%
Cheating Statistics by Console:
Nintendo Switch: 56%
PC: 52%
Xbox One: 52%
PlayStation 5: 51%
PlayStation 4: 49%
Xbox Series X/S: 47%
The full study can be accessed here.
